Disturbance At Savage Kingdom Results In Arrest Of Ex-boyfriend

CENTER HILL — A domestic disturbance at the Savage Kingdom wildlife compound led police to capture a suspect in Lake County on Sunday.

The compound - the scene of a tiger mauling two weeks ago - was the setting of an Easter Sunday gunfight involving the owner and an estranged couple.

According to police reports, Robert Baudy, 73, owner of Savage Kingdom, fended off a man armed with a gun and a large sword. The man had broken up with his girlfriend, a former employee at the feline breeding center, hours before the incident.

The assault was the second time authorities had been called to Savage Kingdom in March.

The compound was the scene of a tiger attack two weeks ago, where a Siberian tiger attacked a worker trying to feed it and nearly severed his leg.

The tiger was shot and killed by wildlife authorities. The victim of the attack is recovering.

In Sunday's incident, Sumter County Chief Deputy Jack Jordan said Baudy picked up Lily Lehman, 34, early in the morning after she broke up with her boyfriend, Terry Lee Schenck, 31, and took her to Savage Kingdom.

The report said that later in the morning, Baudy and Lehman awoke to find Schenck standing over them, brandishing both weapons, which he had picked up in Baudy's home.

Jordan said that as Lehman ran away, Baudy pulled out a gun.

Jordan said Baudy and Schenck exchanged a round of bullets with only 10 feet between them, but neither was hurt.

After Schenck fled, Sumter County deputies were called to the scene.

Jordan said Schenck began to call and taunt the pair over the phone numerous times. Deputies then placed a trace on the phone to locate him.

''He kept moving to different locations when he would call,'' Jordan said.

Schenck was eventually apprehended at a residence just outside of Leesburg.

''It took several hours to convince him to come out,'' Jordan said.

Schenck was booked at the Lake County Jail on charges of burglary and aggravated assault with a firearm. He also had an outstanding domestic violence warrant from Hillsborough County.